A Thrilling Adventure at Semuc Champey (Lanquin, Alta Verapaz)
My Journey to Lanquin started in the morning when I arrived at the shuttle bus in Flores, Peten. I was feeling uneasy about it because I could no longer check my location at the click of a button. Two days prior, I had plunged into Peten Lake with my phone in my pocket, rendering it completely unusable. Interestingly, this uneasiness also brought a sense of suspense to the rest of my trip.
Lanquin, a small and lively town, is approximately 30 minutes away from Semuc Champey, the destination most travelers intend to visit due to its impressive natural features and variety of activities.
The nine-hour ride to Lanquin took me and other travelers through green fields, stunning mountains, interesting villages, and through a river on a ferry.
Upon arrival, we were received by tour guides offering excursion and transportation services. My hostel, El Retiro Lodge, had prearranged transportation for its guests, giving us a complimentary tour of Lanquin as we were transported in the bed of a pickup truck to the lodge.
As we were being transported, I couldn’t help but notice that locals seemed to live slow-paced lives, spending much of their time outdoors.
El Retiro Lodge
El Retiro Lodge was perfect for my needs as it offered shared and private rooms, a swimming pool, and a restaurant-bar. I enjoy having my room and also appreciate the atmosphere of a hostel. It is situated adjacent to a river, delivering a beautiful and relaxing experience. Its bar had a billiard table and a lounging area for socializing. The music wasn’t too loud to annoy people resting, but it was great for creating a lively vibe. I encountered travelers from other hostels here, presumably because the ambiance here was more inviting than that of their hostels. Overall, it was a great pick.
Semuc Champey
Semuc Champey, a natural landmark, offers visitors a thrilling and adventurous experience. Travelers can swim in the limestone natural pools, tube in the turquoise river, cliff jump near a waterfall, and explore the depths of its impressive caves.
Semuc Champey translates from the Qʼeqchiʼ language to English as “Where the river hides under the earth”. That’s because a section of the river runs through a cave, underneath the limestone pools.
Tours to Semuc Champey can be booked at any hotel or hostel.
My tour began in the morning at El Retiro Lodge’s lobby, where I met with other travelers, who would soon become more than strangers. We received a briefing on the tour’s activities and were then transported, on the bed of a truck, to the park’s entrance, where a large group of children with lending equipment greeted us.
Soon after, our guide, “Jungle Boy”, walked us to the changing station to put on our swimwear and safely store our valuables in a locked box. We then headed over to one of the most thrilling adventures of my journey, exploring the Kan’ba dark cave using a candle to light up inside. The water, as expected, was cold, but it did not take long for my body to adapt.
Jungle boy painted our faces at the beginning, and I jokingly took it as an initiation into a tribe, receiving the nickname “Simba.”
There were some sections where we had to climb up or down a ladder and, optionally, a rope with river water splashing on our faces. The fun challenge was keeping the candle lit while wading and swimming through water.
Towards the end, Jungle Boy had each one of us slide through a small, scary-looking tunnel with river water running through it. I felt uneasy about it because I could not see what was on the other side.
Once I made it through the tunnel, I was glad I had gone through it. It was not as scary as it looked. In my role-playing acting, it felt as if my initiation into the tribe was complete, and I had fully become the fearless warrior, “Simba”.
The cave tour was approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes long and was incredibly fun. One only has to be careful when wading and swimming because it’s possible to hit a rock with your body.
Tubing
Tubing on the river was the next attraction on the tour. It gave us a chance to relax in nature after a thrilling adventure in the caves. Kids, accompanied by their mom, sold cans of beer on the riverbank. I asked for one, and a kid threw one to me. I enjoyed a delicious Guatemalan “Gallo” beer and shared it with my “tribe partner,” whom I nicknamed “Super Kitty”. She liked my Gallo so much that I was having a hard time getting it back. Once we got out, I paid the kids’ mother, who was waiting for us on the way back.
El Mirador
This was a roughly 45-minute steep hike, through mostly wooden steps, to a scenic spot to take pictures of the turquoise pools. The hike was quite steep and hot, but fun nonetheless.
Waterfall
This was a scenic and relaxing spot to rest and refresh after hiking up to El Mirador. I did some cliff jumping and admired the water rushing out of the cave as it continued its path in the river.
Turquoise Limestone Pools
In the final section of the tour, we swam in the refreshing turquoise limestone pools. Interestingly, some areas of the ground were slippery, creating slides into the pools.
I suggest being vigilant of your things here. Unfortunately, one person had his shoes stolen after leaving them outside their locker.
Concluding with an Afterparty
Once back at El Retiro, we were received with nachos, tequila shots, and Gallo beers at the bar. This made for a wonderful evening and continuation of the fun we had been having since the start of the tour. I enjoyed all the laughter we shared.
After a few drinks, I was dancing with the local dog because he stood up when I got up from my chair to dance. But, according to Super Kitty, he just wanted me to give him pizza. However, I disagreed with her. I think he was a cool dog who liked to dance.
Conclusion
When planning my trip to Guatemala, I was unsure about visiting Lanquin because it was too far out of the way. It took about nine hours to get there, and then another nine hours to reach my next destination. However, after seeing the numerous fun activities available at Semuc Champey, I decided it was worth visiting. Today, I can confirm that Semuc Champey is absolutely worth visiting and should be included in everyone’s plans when visiting Guatemala.
Check out my video of Semuc Champey below!
You May Also Like
A Majestic Colonial City (Antigua, Guatemala)
Reuniting in Cancun
